Perched on a steep hillside with sweeping views across downtown Vancouver English Bay, the North Shore Mountains and, on a clear day, from Mount Baker to Bowen Island, this 1990s family home offered extraordinary potential to fully embrace both natural light and connection to the landscape.
Idea
The clients, a family of four, envisioned a home that felt open, calm and deeply livable: The clients, a family of four, envisioned a home that felt open, calm and deeply livable: a modern sanctuary immersed in natural beauty and grounded in comfort and warmth.
Build
Delivered through a three-way collaboration between Measured, Sophie Burke Design and Paul Sangha Creative, and in close partnership with contractor EYCO, the project was guided by a shared commitment to craft and cohesion at every stage. – The renovation reimagines the main living level as a generous, light-filled space. The building was subtly raised to improve spatial flow and daylight, while a new roofline and simplified massing lend the composition a deliberate stillness.
Traditional window openings were replaced with expansive glazing to dissolve the boundary between indoors and out, framing panoramic views while creating fluid connections between kitchen, dining, and living areas. In contrast, the upper level, home to the family’s private spaces, retains a more traditional window rhythm, offering a sense of intimacy and retreat for the bedrooms. Downstairs, a generous recreation room invites casual gathering, while a secluded pool nestled among mature foliage at the rear of the property provides a tranquil retreat in the warmer months.
The architectural expression balances modern clarity with rustic warmth, drawing inspiration from the California farmhouse sensibility of one of the homeowners. Natural textures, soft tones and tactile materials create a serene atmosphere that is inviting, not austere. Achieving the right material and colour balance was a deliberate and collaborative process, with the clients closely involved in shaping the understated, cohesive palette. The exterior is clad in white cedar shingles sourced from Eastern Canada, selected and stained to achieve a subtle balance of tone and warmth. The structure rests on a limestone base, its pale surface grounding the form and mediating between the timber above and landscape below. Minimal trim, concealed flashings, and refined junctions further articulate a commitment to craftsmanship and timeless detailing.
Environmental considerations were equally integral: Passive strategies – orientation, natural ventilation, layered shading – combine with roof-mounted solar panels to create an efficient, enduring envelope. Reclaimed beams and framing, stonework and pavers were thoughtfully integrated to minimize waste.
Live
The result is a home of restraint and clarity that distills form and function into a calming, intentional whole. It is extroverted where it connects to the landscape and introverted where family life calls for privacy and stillness. It is a home that invites return; a place of rest where everyday life unfolds with ease, warmth and authenticity.
